India is now home to three restaurants that have made it to the esteemed Asia's 50 Best Restaurants List. Masque, a fine dining restaurant in Mumbai, has moved up from the 21st position in the previous year to the 16th in 2023 and is now considered the best restaurant in India. Indian Accent, located in New Delhi, has also made progress, rising from 22nd place to 19th. The newly added restaurant from India this year is Avartana, situated in ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, which has secured the 30th position and won the Highest New Entry Award.
Here's a look at all you need to know about the three restaurants and why you should visit them.
Indian Accent, New Delhi
Nestled within the grounds of The Lodhi, Indian Accent presents an innovative take on Indian cuisine that blends the country's rich flavours and culinary customs with global ingredients and techniques. Under the guidance of Chef Manish Mehrotra, the restaurant's menu infuses fresh, locally-sourced produce with unconventional ingredients from around the world. The Indian Accent has outposts in New York City and London, also.
For more details, visit here
Masque, Mumbai
Nestled within the confines of an old textile mill in Mumbai lies Masque, a restaurant led by entrepreneur Aditi Dugar that strongly emphasises ingredient-driven cuisine. Masque's 10-course chef's tasting menus are unique in India, blending tradition and innovation. As the seasons change, so do the menus, which are defined by ingredients sourced from the restaurant's farm, foraging trips, and a network of local farmers. Through local flavours, age-old practices, innovation, and technique, Masque challenges the notion of "Indian food" and reimagines a new wave of modern Indian cuisine.
For more details, visit here
Avartana Chennai
Avartana serves modern interpretations of Southern Indian cuisine, crafted by Chef Ajit Bangera, in a dining room adorned with chandeliers and glittering walls inside the ITC Grand Chola hotel. Delight in the range of multi-course tasting menus, each a fusion of flavours, comprising delectable small bites like infused tomato rasam, asparagus and coconut stew, and pan-fried cod. Playful nuances such as a miniature hammer to crack open the pannacotta 'egg' nestled in a bird's nest add an extra dose to the dining experience.
Meanwhile, the 51-100 list was released last week, featuring The Table and Americano in Mumbai, Bukhara, and ITC Maurya from New Delhi. Ekaa, located in Mumbai and led by chef Niyati Rao and restaurateur Sagar Neve, is a new addition to this year's extended list, ranking at 93. The restaurant, which is cuisine-agnostic, highlights a locally-sourced ingredient in each dish.